Widow takes travel company TUI to court over husband's snorkelling death
The widow of a 58-year-old man who died during a snorkelling lesson in the Caribbean will get her day in court against TUI.
Susan Fawcett, 60, is suing the travel company and the case has reached the preliminary stage of proceedings at the High Court.
Her husband Roy, from Rugeley, died after getting into trouble during a snorkelling lesson whilst enjoying an all-inclusive holiday in Paradise Island, Dominican Republic, in October 2017.
Shocked holidaymakers watched in dismay as a botched rescue attempt ended with the project manager dying. At the inquest at South Staffordshire Coroners Court it was found "there were question marks about the level of supervision".
Mrs Fawcett is now suing TUI, who deny responsibility, for £560,000, and has enlisted the help of barrister Mr Andrew Young.
He told the court: "Mr Fawcett wasn't given sufficient guidance or training in how to use his equipment, he was not properly supervised when he was doing the snorkelling, and when it was realised that he had been taken ill and needed assistance, that was incompetently carried out.
"We say that the excursion provider, and therefore indirectly TUI, were responsible for his death."
He added: "She witnessed at very close hand her husband's body being brought back to the island shore and the incompetent efforts made to rescue and resuscitate him."
TUI will argue the snorkelling trip was not part of the all-inclusive package and therefore it is not responsible for the death.
Witnesses to the death are also suing the tour operator as they claim the shocking episode left them with mental health issues, anxiety and PTSD.
A trial date has yet to be set for the case at the High Court.
